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Kyle Herring November 3, 1994

RELEASE: 94-073

ASTRONAUTS BLAHA AND LUCID TO TRAIN FOR FLIGHT ON MIR

NASA astronauts John E. Blaha and Shannon W. Lucid, Ph.D., have been selected to train for the second of at least four scheduled astronaut stays aboard the Russian Space Station Mir. The two veteran astronauts will begin training in Star City, Russia, in February 1995.

These assignments continue the U.S./Russia human space flight cooperation, which consists of a three-phased program. Phase one includes seven to ten Space Shuttle-Mir missions between 1995 and 1997, including rendezvous, docking and crew transfers. The Space Shuttle will assist with crew exchange, resupply and payload activities for Mir. A Russian cosmonaut will fly on STS-63 in February 1995. Four or more U.S. astronaut

stays aboard Mir are planned, totaling nearly two years of on-orbit time.

Phase two is the joint development of the core International Space Station. Phase three is the expansion of the Space Station to include all of the international partners.

Blaha, 52, (Colonel, USAF, Ret.) has flown on four Shuttle missions, STS-29 in March 1989, STS-33 in November 1989, STS-43 in August 1991 and STS-58 in October 1993. He received a master of science degree in astronautical engineering from Purdue

University in 1966.

Lucid, 50, also has flown four times aboard the Shuttle. She was a mission specialist on STS 51-G in June 1985, STS-34 in October 1989, STS-43 in August 1991 and

STS-58 in October 1993. She received her master of science and doctorate of philosophy degrees in biochemistry from the University of Oklahoma in 1970 and 1973, respectively.

As the U.S./Russia cooperative activities progress, additional NASA personnel will be assigned to support agency activities in Russia.